Stories of Dragons and Souls
by Infernokota
Summary: There are stories that don't feature in the legends; stories that don't aren't told, ones that don't become fairy tales. Stories that deserve to be told nonetheless; these are those stories, the ones that are never heard. (A collection of one-shots and canon-shorts based on DRGN SOUL, an OC centered companion to RWBY proper.)
1. Chapter 1: Copper Trailer

**Chapter 1: Copper Trailer**

* * *

_But I keep rising; pushing onwards, grit my teeth, ground my fear; I keep rising; marching forwards, never quitting, never dying; I keep rising; until I find; my destiny, my destiny._

* * *

The girl slid to a stop, dashing to the side of the small ravine to the relative safety of a massive boulder, chest rising and falling as she laid her head back, huffing for breath, eyes cast to the sky.

Clutched tightly in her hands were two ringblades, gleaming silver, green lights running along their form, humming quietly with energy. She chanced a peek around the boulder- before dragging her head back behind the cover, eyes clenching shut.

"Come on," She whispered to herself. "Come on. C_ome on."_ She took a deep, steadying breath-

And leapt over the boulder, a snarl painted across her face.

The grimm wolves, pitch black, covered in a litany of bone-like armor jolted to attention as she dashed back out into the open, a collection of howls echoing out around her as they began to bound forwards, snarling ferally.

She met them in a blur of steel, twirling through their ranks, blades ripping through their flesh with ease. One took a wide swipe with wicked, long claws, missing as she leapt high into the air, twirling over them. As she passed over the pack, she swung a blade out, letting loose a wide slash of green energy, carving the grimm nearly in half. The girl hit the ground hard, crashing across the dirt with a wince.

One of the wolves was quick to leap towards her, gleaming fangs lashing out towards her throat. She grimaced as she tried to hold the beast back in a losing effort, leaning away from it. She screwed her eyes shut-

And a brilliant golden light filled the ravine, the wolves letting out a collection of pained howls. The girl brought her boots up, planting them against the grimm's chest and kicking it away, its body careening into the rest of its pack.

The girl scowled in distaste, dark eyes turning to the top of the ravine high above. She took a running head start towards the grimm, before leaping, planting her boots against one of the rock walls, pushing off towards the opposite one, black claws narrowly missing her boots as the creatures swiped wildly at her, then leapt again, bouncing back and forth, higher and higher. Finally, she reached the top- then stalled in the air, turning her gaze back to the grimm below.

With one swift motion, she corkscrewed in place, her ringblades lighting up with energy. The girl's petite frame began to descend again, dress flailing out around her as she continued to twirl.

Huge swathes of green light began carving through the air as she descended, the grimm trapped in the small ravine, the waves ripping through them one after another, a la fish in a barrel.

Her eyes snapped back open as she neared the ground, and with one last twirl, fell down one of the few remaining grimm's back like a top, bisecting it nearly in half before coming to a rolling stop onto the ground.

With hard, furious eyes, she turned to the last wolf.

It stared owlishly at her with red and yellow eyes for a moment, before scrambling backwards on all fours, bounding back the way it had come, escaping for the moment.

The girl let loose a tense breath, limbs going limp, her ringblades shooting to rest on hooks on her belt line. She turned her gaze tiredly around for a moment, before pulling out a small piece of paper, looking over the list of scratched out names on it. Producing a pen, she scribbled through the last name, Yule's Gully, pocketing both pen and paper with a sigh.

"That's the last one, then," She muttered, beginning her walk back up the ravine. "…Guess I should finally finish my transcript..."

She shook her head, bowing it in disappointment as she marched away.

* * *

**A/N: Yello.**

**It's ya boy.**

**Kay, so! Screw it, I'm done with this! Finally, first trailer done!**

**If you're here from DRGN SOUL (previously known as Dragon Soul) proper, welcome! Hopefully these'll tide you over till Volume 4 begins.**

**If you're not, then welcome nonetheless! Hopefully you read the description and, if that was enough to pique your interest, then sweet. If you like what you find here, then maybe go on and meander over to Dragon Soul (the actual story). Volume 3 just wrapped up, and I'm on a slight hiatus as I finish drafting the next few volumes. Still though, I think it's a little over 160k words, so maybe it'll hold you over while we all wait impatiently for RWBY Volume 7.**

**I think that's it for me. Next trailer should be here shortly. (Honestly, I spent more time writing the song at the beginning than I did writing this).**

**Cheers,  
Infernokota**


	2. Chapter 2: Si Trailer

**Chapter 2: Si Trailer**

* * *

_Every morning, I watch the sun rise; believing that it's written at night; this is the way, it was always inside me; I've found my way, beyond the safety; I swear it here today; I'll follow my own way; the way, the way of the rising sun._

* * *

The two samurai- well dressed in fine, loose clothes, and minimal armor- took their places on the smooth stone platform, equidistant from each other and the edges of the platforms. One of them held a long, wooden practice sword, nearly as tall as he was, while the other held a much smaller one, still sheathed at her side. Dual sets of calm, serene eyes stared across at the lone figure on the other side from them.

The other samurai, dressed in darker shades than them, was equally as centered as his opponents, standing casually- though stiffly, eyes closed, a slight wind whistling passed them, the early leaves of spring floating in the breeze, bright green in hue.

Silence settled over the battlefield as the wind died down- though, despite that, dozens of peering, curious eyes peered out from countless viewing points, a quiet atmosphere of anticipation congealing over the onlookers.

The slight sound of wood clacking against stone split through the silence, and all eyes turned upwards, to where a new figure was marching forwards from a raised level, coming to a stop before the wooden bannister- he himself dressed in much finer clothes than the others, wizened face split with a touch of goodwill and anticipation of his own. He raised his hands into the air.

"Master Irou," He called out, voice light in tone, though still carrying an air of authority. The smaller samurai bowed her head. "Master Kamon," The other nodded in turn. His gaze turned towards the darker figure. "Master Kyani," One last, barely perceptible nod. "Fight with honor. Ready?"

Every onlooker shot to attention.

The three samurai gave him mirrored nods.

His hand clenched into a fist. "_Begin_!"

_Poof_.

The lone fighter's side of the battlefield was enveloped in a dark cloud of smoke, prompting his opponents to turn on their heels, their backs finding each other, vigilant eyes scanning the battlefield.

_Poof._

Kyani dropped from the air into a crouch, landing between his opponents, pushing them apart from each other, his katana flying free from its sheathe in one lightning fast movement. The swift swing caught Kamon across the back, sending him stumbling away, though Irou quickly leapt over the attack, her own practice blade sliding from its sheathe in a swipe of her own, missing as wood met wood, Kyani parrying it away.

Kamon didn't waste any time turning on his heel, heftier sword cutting through the air towards the lone samurai's head. Kyani ducked quickly, leaping up and planting his boot into Irou's chest, pushing off and flipping away, landing onto the ground solidly, sliding several feet back, before pushing off back towards his opponents.

The two warriors dashed forwards to meet him, wooden swords flying through the air, Kamon's plank of wood swinging out with a massive amount of heft, crashing against Kyani's deft block, the smaller warrior wavering; Irou's exceptionally quick swings nearly impacting with barely blocked blow after barely blocked blow, Kyani's sword turning into a near blur as his two opponents continued to push him back towards the fence that marked the end of the arena, dark purple eyes narrowing in exertion and ungodly concentration.

Kamon swung wide again, a timely sidestep by Kyani sending the wooden blade into the stone below, his face pulled into a scowl of slight frustration. The lone samurai struck out with a quick kick into the sword, the hefty slab turning to slam into Irou's abdomen, drawing a deep grunt from her, the wind rushing from her lungs.

Kyani didn't waste the opportunity, leaping up and planting his foot onto the edge of the fence, leaping off and away, one hand lashing out to wrap around Kamon's loose fitting top, flipping as he went, using his momentum to fling the larger of his opponents over his head and towards the center of the platform. Expertly, he turned on his heel, lashing out with another flurry of blows against Irou, practice sword swinging out in broad strokes, the lone warrior battering the woman away from him, her own smaller sword doing its best to parry away the precise strikes.

After only a moment, though, Kamon leapt back to his feet, charging forwards, massive training sword at the ready, crashing through the air with ridiculous speed. The attack missed as Kyani latched onto the smaller of his opponents, twirling them both away, then ducked low, sweeping the woman's feet out from under her, sending her crashing to the ground. Without losing an ounce of momentum, he leapt back to his feet, pushing off of the fallen samurai to lash out with a brutal kick to Kamon's face, boot meeting flesh solidly.

The lone warrior pushed away from his opponent, sending the large samurai stumbling backwards. He twirled in the air as he fell, sword colliding hard with Irou's midsection. He effortlessly spun to his feet, grasping onto her as we went, using his momentum to heft her into the air, hurling her towards her partner. The larger fighter caught her with only an ounce of effort, reflexively dropping his sword to the ground as he did so. Quickly, his gaze snapped back towards Kyani- and was met with only a dark cloud of smoke.

Another cloud quickly enveloped him and his partner, joined shortly by the sharp feeling of his opponent's sword colliding with his knee cap, sending him teetering down onto one leg. Kyani spun around his opponent without a moment to spare, striking him in the throat with his sword, before leaping and spinning, metallic boot catching against Kamon's jaw with a mighty 'crack'.

Both samurai were sent flying from the smoke to the battlefield beyond, the smaller Irou tumbling across the ground with a groan, Kamon himself simply landing hard, sliding next to her.

Irou raised her eyes, blinking the haze away; stormy grey pupils stared down the length of Kyani's training sword. Kamon similarly turned over, nearly impacting with his own sword held only millimeters away from his nose, also held in the dark-clad samurai's grasp.

Kyani stared down at the smaller warrior, before turning his gaze calmly to his larger opponent. A fine eyebrow raised in silent questioning.

Kamon and Irou slowly turned to each other- and shared dual sighs, looking back up to their opponent, faces drawn up in slight expressions of amusement.

"I yield."

"I yield."

The courtyard burst out into approving applause, as Kyani turned Kamon's sword in his hand, offering the hilt to his fellow samurai, helping the large warrior to his feet; meanwhile sheathing his own blade, extending a hand to Irou to help her up as well.

"Stiff as always, Shin!" Kamon said with a laugh, clapping his companion on the shoulder, drawing a small smile from the samurai.

Irou bowed lowly to him as she sheathed her own sword. "I'd expect nothing else, Master Kyani."

He bowed back to her, then to his other opponent as they began to walk away, limping in quite a bit of pain, laughing to each other quietly. He, though, took a moment, his eyes closing, a breath escaping his lips as the tension flooded from his body, a weight lifting off of his shoulders. When his eyes opened, they immediately turned to the dark shadows of the platform above- meeting one burning orange eye.

The gaze sent back to him was cold, and angry. The duo stared off for a moment, before the silent observer brusquely turned away, marching into the darkness. Kyani's stony elation deflated slightly, another sigh spilling out from him- this one in sadness, however.

Despite that, he turned his gaze upwards, to where the older man was watching from his perch above, a small, kind smile planted onto his face.

He turned slightly away, motioning for the victorious samurai to follow him.

* * *

"That was quite a performance, Master Kyani." The older man said, looking towards the samurai.

He dipped his head slightly in gratitude. "Thank you, Grandmaster."

"I assume you will leave at first light, then?"

"I- yes. As soon as possible."

The duo stopped, the Grandmaster burying his hands into his sleeves. "Then I wish you good luck in your journeys. I pray that you will find honor and fortune in your pursuits, and, when the time is right, you will return to us, prepared for your next steps."

Kyani bowed lowly, hands pressed against his sides. "You honor me, Grandmaster."

The two warriors stood for a moment, before the grandmaster sighed, with a note of sadness. "I know that I am not the grandmaster that you wanted to be here for this moment-" Kyani stiffened, face falling. "But I want you to know that I am proud of you- as is he. You do his legacy and name more honor than you can imagine."

"I… I… thank you, Grandmaster."

"And fret not. She's fiery and passionate- there's nothing you could do to soften this blow for her. Give her time. She'll forgive you," Kyani said nothing, rising from his bow. The grandmaster gave the younger samurai a bow of his own. "Farewell, Kyani Shinai. This Temple will always be a home to you."

With that, he turned on his heel, marching steadfastly away.

The younger warrior watched him go for a moment, before turning and entering his room.

And by first light, he was gone.


	3. Chapter 3: Silver Trailer

**Chapter 3: Silver Trailer**

* * *

_And I am the wolf; the one you couldn't arrange; I'll find glory anyways, oh; you can't stop me now, no, you can't stop- I am the wolf; chose to find my own way; never want to be the same, oh; you can't stop me at all, no, you can't stop- I am the wolf; left to make you proud; I hope you see me now, oh; please don't stop me now, no, please don't stop…_

* * *

The boy grinned smugly as he dropped into the sand pit, the crowd exploding into cheers around him. He craned his neck to the side, a series of pops greeting him as he began to march around the edge of the arena, grinning and waving to the onlookers. After a moment, he stopped, reaching up to the outstretched hand of a girl. He lingered for a few seconds, dipping his head to her, before continuing on, the girl pulling her hands back to her side, turning to her friend giddily. The boy only marched on for another moment before making eye contact with another boy, similarly aged to him, who was staring in a fair bit of awe. The gladiator stopped, his smirk tilting. He sent the other boy a cheeky wink, before continuing onwards, finishing his lap then coming to a stop.

"Are you done?!" His opponent spat, warhammer held high.

The boy looked down to his right leg; a length of gleaming silver, perched upon a set of wolf's paws, a silver furred tail wagging lazily behind him. His grin darkened slightly, adopting a vicious tone. "After you, my friend." He muttered, adopting a battle stance, metallic leg shifting.

"Go!" The proctor shouted from the stands.

The warhammer wielder roared and charged forwards, two long, curving horns wrapping around his head, pointing forwards. The younger combatant simply stood, golden eyes watching his opponent eagerly.

The bull reached him- and the wolf leapt into the air, vaulting over the berserker with ease, a flurry of sand flying into the air.

The boy landed, taking a few dance-like steps away from his opponent, hands held out in front of him. He turned back to the furious gladiator, flashing him a wink of his own.

The bull growled, turning on his heel, spinning his hammer in his grip- he didn't charge though, advancing carefully, snorting in irritation. The wolf turned his body towards him again, sashaying towards the larger combatant tauntingly.

"Ole, Cordobes." He called out in a sing-song voice.

Cordobes roared and charged towards him again, heavy feet kicking up clouds of dust where he ran. This time, the smaller gladiator simply spun around the charging warrior, leaping up, one fleshy foot kicking against the berserker's back, before the silver one smashed against the back of Cordobes head, sending him stumbling forwards.

The wolf didn't wait this time, rushing forwards, leaping up and burying his silver foot across the bull's jaw. A gunshot fired alongside the blow, sending him careening away, clattering through the sand violently.

The younger boy landed, now the barrel of a gun pointing out from his kneecap, running parallel with his shin. He dashed forwards again, kicking up off of the bull's back, vaulting into the air-

Only for a hand to latch onto his ankle, slamming him back down to the ground. The wolf blinked thoughtfully, staring up at the bright blue sky- and began to hum a beat quietly to himself ponderously.

At the last moment, he rolled to the side, avoiding the massive head of the warhammer smashing for his head, spinning to a kneeling position.

"Cordobes, wait!" He spat, coughing hard. The bull ceased his blind charge, eyes narrowed. The wolf shook his head, waving a hand in front of his face. "Alright-start-again." He said quickly, shooting to his feet, a handful of sand thrown into the bull's face, drawing a shocked and pained yell from the larger gladiator.

The younger fighter rushed forwards, a flurry of kicks crashing against the bull's ribs, before the wolf dropped low, spinning, sweeping the larger opponent's legs out from under him, the bull hitting the ground with a grunt.

Before he'd even impacted, though, the wolf leapt, sneaker burying itself into his opponent's ribs- then the silver one, a gunshot sending the bull down, and the younger fighter higher-

And higher, and higher, passing the open dome of the arena, stilling in the blue sky for a moment, a satisfied smile crossing his face as he began to turn, reaching the apex of his ascent. His grin began to tilt again as he descended-

Another gunshot fired, and he turned into a silver blur flying through the sky, careening back down towards his opponent.

The bull's eyes widened just in time to watch the wolf reach him, silver leg crashing against his head, a final gunshot ringing out throughout the arena, a massive cloud of dust flying into the air.

"Game!" The proctor called out.

The crowd went quiet in bated anticipation for a long moment-

Before the wolf sauntered out of the cloud, bowing lowly to them with a flourish. They burst out into applause again, a multitude of colored streamers flying through the air, draping the young gladiator in a rainbow. He began to make a victory lap, waving to his adoring fans-

Then he slowed, smile fading slightly as golden eyes stared into disapproving golden eyes. The older wolf walked away wordlessly, the combatant's jolly demeanor beginning to wane. After a moment, though, he shook his head, finishing his lap, before walking towards the exit of the pit, his head hanging low.


	4. Chapter 4: Carmine Trailer

**Chapter 4: Carmine Trailer**

* * *

_Come around, come on down; see what happens when ya call me out; sinners here, sinners there; that's how I like it, don't play fair; chips are down, the bet is called; I see ya sweatin', don't fool me at all; red in the face, I see ya simmer; but, boy, don't push this lil sinner._

* * *

The girl continued to prattle on, and on endlessly, brilliant brown eyes almost aimlessly from her companion sitting across from her, the glowing blue of her Scroll held loosely in her hand, the surroundings around them, and then back to her friend again, without a ceasefire seemingly in sight.

"Oh my gods, but that's not even the worst part! Afterwards, she told my parents that I wasn't even interested in hunting! Can you even believe that?! The nerve! Anyways, thanks for taking me out, it's been a super long time since I've been back in town! Honestly, I forgot how rustic and quaint it is- you spend so much time in the city, that you kind of forget what the backwoods look like! I remember…"

Her friend stared blankly back at her, verdant green gaze half-lidded with poorly veiled disinterest, her head nodding slightly, up and down like a cheap toy paperweight, letting out the odd intermittent noise of agreement or disbelief when it seemed like her blonde friend was waiting for an answer.

The more she talked though, the more the redhead zoned out; her old friend's mouth continued to move, but the never-ending machine gun fire of words slowly faded to a muffled form of speech, and then finally into a droning series of 'wah wah, wah wah wah's.

The more she zoned out though, the more acutely aware of her surroundings she became- even if her friend seemed utterly oblivious to everything around them.

"Listen," The bartender said, his hands raised abatingly, voice wavering with a clear swathe of fear. His eyes flitted over towards the table the girls were situated at, alone in an otherwise mostly empty bar. His gaze turned back forwards to the shabbily dressed woman in front of him, her form rough, skin scarred and dirty, an aesthetic matched by the three people behind her, visages all turned up in matching sneers. "I can't keep doing this."

"I mean," The woman said, voice drawling lowly. "You can. And you will. Or people tend to get hurt. Things tend to end up… burned. If that's what you want, I mean-"

"I can't!" He cried back, composure lost, body shaking in fear. "I'll have to foreclose if you keep raising the prices!"

"And you'll have to 'foreclose," She accompanied the snidely delivered threat with over-exaggerated air quotes. "If we don't get our money!"

The woman reached across the counter, grabbing him by the front of his shirt and pulled him towards her. "Or maybe we'll just move on to someone that can pay!" She lifted a massive pistol, advanced in design, aiming the barrel towards the bartender's head.

Or, at least, she'd attempted to, before the gun was redirected towards the ceiling. All eyes drifted to the side- to the redheaded girl leaning against the bar, cowboy hat and dark aviators set neatly onto the bartop beside them; in her hand was a revolver of her own, the barrel placed against the bandit's own.

"'Scuse me, hon," She said, cocking her head to the side, looking to the older man before her. "Are these folk bothering you?"

"I-" He trailed off, looking back and forth between the two armed woman on either side of him. "…No?"

"Butt out, girlie," The rougher woman snapped. "This doesn't concern you."

"I mean," The redhead shrugged, bringing her free hand up to rest on the counter, similarly armed. "This is my favorite bar. Jenkins is my favorite bartender, even if I fall short of the legal age a little bit. I think it does concern me."

The woman's face fell into an angry sneer, voice descending into a hiss as her three companions all slowly began to reach for their own guns. "Move on! 'Fore you get hurt!"

"Careful there, super trooper, you might burst a blood vessel. Might lose what couple of brain cells you've got left up there."

The bar went quiet, the bandits nearly simultaneously jolting in shock.

"What'd you say about the boss?!" One of the woman's cohorts snapped, raising his rifle to the girl.

She, instead, casually looked him up and down. "Look at that friggin' treasure trail. What's goin' on with your body hair, bud? Did your aesthetician quaff that for ya, alongside the tryhard bandit look? You four can _kiss_ my aesthetician."

The head woman released the poor bartender, who scrambled away from the brewing confrontation in terror, the four bandits turning to face the considerably younger, nonplussed gunslinger. "You- you better run on, before you get hurt."

"You already said that, hon."

"Shut up already!"

"Nice execution, you're doin' great."

The bandit leader began to tremble in fury, face turning beat red as she whipped her gun back down towards the redhead. Or, at least, she attempted to, before the younger girl's barrel shot out with lightning speed, casually pressing against the woman's head.

Dark eyes slowly shifted up to the revolver, eyes widening in fear.

Golden energy began to flow from the gunslinger, the swooping design in her coat glowing similarly, her eyes turning into a brilliant gold, as well as the gun itself, slight smoke beginning to rise off of her form.

"You boys better take your uggs and your feather boas and kick rocks. Before you get hurt."

The previously furious bandit lifted his rifle with a yell, moving to shoot-

_Boom_.

The bandit leader went flying away, crashing through her troupe of miscreants with ease, crashing through the window on the far side, to the road beyond, rolling across limply. A trail of smoke followed her path, all the way to the still warm barrel of the girl's revolver.

She sent a disinterested golden gaze to the other three, red eyebrow cocked. "You boys like to gamble? Wanna take a bet?"

The trio looked to each other uncertainly, before turning back to the huntress, a slow grin spreading across her face.

* * *

The girl gently placed some lien down onto the counter, picking her hat and glasses up. She nodded at the bartender. "Sorry 'bout the damage, Mr. Jenkins."

The older man swallowed as he turned his gaze around, nodding hesitantly. "I'll… add it to your tab."

She gave him a smile as she turned- before stopping. "Next time, hon, just hire a huntress, alright? Save you the trouble and money."

"I'll… definitely think about it. Your meal's on me today."

The redhead shook her head as she began to make her way through the wreckage of what was once the lower floor of the bar, stepping passed shattered tables and chair, the groaning forms of the three remaining bandits strewn about- one on the floor, one in a booth, and one hanging halfway over the railing on the top floor.

She sat back down at her own table, letting out a relieved breath, drawing a coy gaze back to her friend.

The blonde blinked owlishly at her, turning over her shoulder to look at her friend's wreckage. Finally, after a few moments, she looked back to the gunslinger. "…Wow! That was incredible! Gosh, I remember when we were just girls, dontchu? Oh, remember Mr. Cardinal? He loved teaching gunplay? I never could really get the hang of it, but you were alright. I was better at fighting hand to hand than you were. I think? I can't really remember- but nowhere near as good as Yang was! Hey, where is Yang, anyhow? Do you see her anymore? I'd hope so, you two were such good friends-"

The girl's face slowly fell as her old friend began to descend into another tangent, her form slumping. After a moment- she sighed, and nodded in disinterested agreement, letting out a quiet 'ah' of understanding at something her friend had said.


	5. Chapter 5: Kokkino Trailer

**Chapter 5: Kokkino Trailer**

* * *

_(Phalanx initializing...) Hey! Pluggin' into the pain! You won't forget its name! Like a march to the sea! Your death's glowin' and green! Like a runaway tank! Crushed under the Phalanx!_

* * *

Wind whistled over the tiled ground, the verdant green trees swaying lightly in the breeze, the first touches of spring beginning to touch the land. Three individuals stood on the platform, two younger, while the other was well into their fifties. The two younger ones were dressed in more functional, combat-ready gear, the larger of the two wielding a wicked, jagged battleaxe, the other holding two blades, the steel running parallel with their arms.

The trio stood in silence for a moment, the older gentleman checking his watch, his face beginning to sour in irritation.

The larger of the two fighters finally shook his head with a groan. "We've been waiting for ten-"

"We'll give him another three," The older man said brusquely, turning his gaze back to the trees around.

The small clearing fell back into silence again, a thick air of boredom and tension settling over the trio. The smaller of the fighters blinked to life- her gaze previously hazy- turned on her heel and began to march to the edge of the platform, the other two's eyes glued to her.

"…Is that him?" She asked flatly.

They weren't given a chance to respond as the sound of heavy pounding began to storm up the side of the hill, becoming more, and more audible as it neared, trees beginning to bend to either wide, throwing out a maelstrom of leaves in the wake.

The other two individuals shot to attention, nearing the edge as the source of the pounding arrived;

The machine was massive, painted in dull red with gold highlights, a slitted, brilliant blue visor glowing calmly, peering over at the other three, the girl taking a few steps back from the edge to allow the mech space. It was silent as it stepped up onto the platform, twice the height of the larger fighter, and twice as wide.

The older man looked it up and down, gingerly pulling out his Scroll. "Uh…" He began hesitantly. "You… must be Mr. Aspis,"

The mech's head nodded once, slowly.

"Well… you are… late."

"Sorry." The machine droned out, voice deep and heavily synthesized, its visage unchanging.

"Well…" The old man looked to the two fighters, taking a few steps back. "As soon as you're ready, the test can begin."

Aspis backed up to the edge of the platform, massive hands curling tightly into fists. The other two copied his movements, finding their own sides, as the older man stepped off of the tiles entirely.

"Are we ready?" He called out, a holographic screen appearing off to the side, three glowing bars of green appearing on it, next to the fighters' names.

"Ready!" The larger fighter called out, teeth bared, lips pulled up into a vicious grin, dark eyes locked onto Aspis.

"Ready." The smaller fighter muttered, lowering herself into a crouch, gaze turned towards the red machine as well.

"…_Ready_." Aspis uttered lowly, voice filled with malice.

The three stood quietly, waiting.

"3!"

"2!"

"1!"

"…Begin!"

The two fighters charged towards Aspis, their minds made, eyes locking in understanding.

The back of the mech lit up with roaring flames, several jets coming to life as Aspis bullrushed them as well, clearing the distance with ridiculous speed, their eyes widening.

One massive, rocket powered hand lashed out, crashing into the larger fighter's upper body, sending him flipping over himself to crash into the tile below. The machine's over hand shot out as well, gripping the girl's face tightly, ripping her off of the ground with ease as he continued to charge forwards, slamming her down into the ground with a cacophonous shattering of tile, her body tumbling away limply.

Aspis didn't cease his movement, massive metallic foot digging into the platform below as he pivoted around, jets alighting again as he stormed back towards the still recovering axeman, heavy footfalls seeming to shake the ground around them as he again cleared the distance with remarkable speed.

The boy roared as he scrambled to his own footing, leaping towards the mech, battleaxe raised high into the air, heavy steel head swinging for anything he could get. The mech lashed out with its arm, raising it into the attack's arc. The axe bit into the metal with all of the force he could muster- and only sank in an inch or so.

Dark eyes widened in shock, gaze turning towards Aspis' own unfeeling, glowing blue visor, fear beginning to settle over the fighter's face.

Aspis, though, didn't get a chance to counterattack, as a battle cry cut through the air loudly, the girl leaping back into the fray, duel daggers lashing out towards the more unprotected area of the mech's neck, blades sinking in as a cry of surprise echoed out from the machine. Aspis wheeled around, hurling the boy away from him, axe still buried into the red armor, colossus hands reaching for the girl perched onto his back.

Her face twisted into a grimace as she ripped her blade free, before plunging it back downwards, sinking further into the machine's innards. Aspis let out an irritated growl, visor turning over his shoulder to stare at her.

Without any warning, the jets on his back rocketed back to life, significantly larger than before; and the mech took off from the ground, vaulting quickly into the sky, a thick plume of smoke following him, the girl holding on for dear life, a scream trailing them as they cleared high above the tops of the trees.

The thrusters went lifeless, the massive machine stalling in the air, hanging for a moment, the duo twirling weightlessly for a moment-

Aspis let out a satisfied hum, before the jets flared up again, and the duo went screaming back down towards the platform far below, a red blur heralding them as they crashed back into the ground, a massive cloud of smoke rising into the air.

"Xiphos is out, Xiphos is out!" The proctor off to the side called out urgently, waving his arms; two of the bars on the screen next to him had shifted to yellow and red.

One was still pristinely green.

The girl's body went tumbling from the smoke, rolling off of the platform next to the man, a low groan spilling out from her lips.

The other fighter stumbled to his feet, glaring into the cloud of smoke furiously. "You're nothing without that suit, kid!" He barked. "Nothing!"

There was no response for a long moment from the rest of the platform, the dust beginning to settle, thinning considerably; enough so to let the glowing green of Aspis' visor peer through towards the boy.

"_Try me_." The mech growled out, before soaring towards his opponent again, getting the fighter to jump in shock, scrambling away from the machine.

Aspis reached him first, bodily slamming into him, sending the axeman off of his feet entirely, dark eyes widening, before one of the suits' massive hands wrapped around the huntsman's ankle, twirling on his heel to slam him back down into the tile.

The machine flawlessly hefted him back up, as if he weighed nothing, crashing him back down into the tile.

And then again.

And then again.

And then twice more, before releasing.

"Sarissa is out!" The proctor called over, climbing onto the platform to scramble towards them. "He's out!"

Aspis stared emotionlessly down at the groaning boy for a long moment. A hand slowly reached up, grasping tightly around the shaft of the battleaxe still buried in his shoulder, ripping it free with ease. He hefted it up high, the older gentleman coming to a stop, face twisted in shock.

And with one mighty swing, the machine buried the axe into the ground next to his opponent's head.

The fighter let out a low groan of relief.

Aspis marched passed him, kicking debris out of his way as he went. "I'll take my letter in the mail." He muttered lowly as he passed the proctor, heading steadfastly back the way he'd come, stepping off of the platform, and then back into the forest, leaving a confused and concerned proctor, two groaning warriors, and a mightily shattered tile platform behind him.


	6. Chapter 6: Cobalt Trailer

**Chapter 6: Cobalt Trailer**

* * *

_I'd give it all away, I'd give it all away; to be glorified! No matter what they say, I know it here today; I'll be glorified! They said, that I would fail! Each time I fall, I'll always rise! All eyes on me- and watch me be; Glorified!_

* * *

"I never want to see your face again! You're not welcome here! You hear me?! You-"

The boy closed the door behind him without another word, the impact filled with finality- despite the fact he could still hear her ranting at him, even through the thick oak.

He stopped on the door step, bag slung over his shoulder, parallel with the massive broadsword sheathed in beat-up old leather. Blue eyes turned to the town around him, trees filling his view as far as he could see. A grin slowly spread across the face, taking a deep breath in, before making his way down the path.

* * *

The boy let out a cackle of laughter as he backed quickly away from the grimm swiping wildly at him, red coat flapping around him. Steel-toed boots hit the dirt hard, both he and his opponent sliding across the ground, before the creature savagely recovered, throwing its body at him.

His grin widened, hand reaching back, the clip of his sword's sheathe coming loose, ridiculous sized sword swinging free and through the air-

* * *

The grimm split in twain, two dark halves falling to the side, already dissipating into smoke. An impressed whistle sounded out from the side, followed by equally impressed clapping. He turned to the older man sitting off to the side, the middle-aged hunter's own weapon leaning limply against the rock he'd previously been using as a seat.

"Not bad, kid!" The man called out, beaming grin splitting his face. "Not bad at all!"

The boy smoothed back his blonde hair idly, straightening up. "I try."

"Alright, kid. I see you. Help with the rest of this pack, and we'll see about that offer of yours."

A cocky, gleaming grin split the swordsman's face again, turning his gaze intently back to the other grimm baring down on the two fighters. He let out a bark of a confident laugh as he dashed forwards.

* * *

The bullets fell around them like a rainstorm as they dashed forwards, bullets ripping into the desert sand beneath their feet as the boy haphazardly dodged and weaved his way around the gunfire.

He came to a stumbling stop next to a large cinder construct, falling to the ground, the older man dropping from his shoulder, hitting the dirt roughly. Both fighters quickly sidled up against their makeshift barricade. The older man dropped his gun to the ground, leaning his head back to rest against the cinder. He let out a wince as he looked down his form- to the rapidly blossoming pool of blood soaking his pant leg.

"Kid," He coughed out, chancing a look over the barricade- to the immediate response of renewed fire. "If you get us out of this- you've got a spot in the Legion."

The blue eyed swordsman gave his companion an unimpressed glare. "Thanks, Cap. No pressure, right?"

"Well-" A wince as the older fighter readjusted himself. "Worst case scenario- we both die. So, I figure that's probably pressure enough."

They went silent for a moment, before the boy's head dropped. "…Alright. To hell with it. Give me five minutes." He moved to rise to his feet, before a hand gripped his wrist _tightly_.

"I wanna clarify," The captain muttered. "If you die- I'm gonna die."

That brought a smile to the swordsman's face. "Won't be the first time I disappoint ya, old timer."

They stared off for a moment, before the older fighter rolled his eyes, releasing his grip. "I'm rescinding every nice thing I've said about you."

The boy gave him a wink, drawing his sword. Without another word, he vaulted over the barricade, bullets ricocheting off of the massive steel blade of his weapon of choice.

* * *

He hit the ground running, dodging and weaving around the bullets falling around him, broad grin splitting his face, greatsword dangling behind him. The captain ran up, keeping pace with his younger companion, gun firing errantly at the faunus entrenched ahead of them. The older fighter gave the swordsman a sour look.

"What happened to '_wait for my order_'?!"

The blond shrugged, before his grin widened. He leapt forwards, and spun, free hand lashing out- a small blue explosion rocked the sparse desert-like forest around them, the impact sending him careening towards the aggressors, his own men ceasing their own fire with a chorus of irritated exclamations.

The boy, though, fell neatly into the midst of the similarly uniformed faunus, boots sliding across the metal grating of their make-shift outcropping. He didn't waste a moment before lashing out in a wide swing, catching two of the soldiers in the midsection, lifting them off of their feet with ease, before hurling them away.

Another of the faunus lashed out with the butt of their rifle- missing only as the swordsman ducked backwards, before striking out with his knee, catching the over-reaching soldier in the ivory mask cladding their face, sending them stumbling backwards.

He swung out again, missing as the other surrounding faunus backed out of the reach of the hulking weapon, letting it collide with the tree beside their metal nest, the blade ripping nearly a foot into the base of the trunk. The boy didn't let up though, spinning with his excess momentum, catching one of the soldiers across the face, before leaping up to stand atop his blade, staring down at the faunus beneath him.

"One at a time, lads?"

The soldiers looked to one another- before letting out yells of anger, leaping towards him. He similarly left the ground, both feet colliding with the handle of his blade- the sheer force of the impact tearing the rest of the tree free, the top three-quarters tumbling away from them, greatsword flipping into the air.

The boy caught it as he landed, striking out with a boot to the gut, sword swinging out around them, nearly catching one of the soldiers in the neck- before a massive gunshot sent them flying away.

The blond turned over his shoulder, staring down the smoking barrel of his Captain's gun- and the Captain's extremely irritated visage.

The duo stared off for a moment, before the boy raised a balled fist into the air, offering it to his older companion expectantly, the sounds of battle raging around them as the two companies continued to clash. The swordsman's eyebrows raised in good-natured humor, a coy smile playing at his face.

After a long moment, the older fighter shook his head- and returned the fist bump. "You're a pain in my ass, Zaffre."

"Uh-huh- but that's how you like me, and you know it, Cap."

* * *

The machine beeped haphazardly, its pace slowing ever-so-noticeably- the only audible sound other than the machine pumping oxygen through it and into the man on the table.

The Captain's eyes drifted around the room- the large tent, generally filled with other beds for the wounded, was empty of other furniture; instead filled to the brim with soldiers, their gazes varying. Some were locked onto him, others to their fellow compatriots, and other still staring off nowhere in particular.

The boy was sat beside his bed, both hands gripping his Captain's tightly, tears streaming down his face, foot tapping restlessly against the floor.

The old man let out a small chuckle, drawing the gazes of the room back to him. He patted the swordsman's hand, turning to look out at his company. He sucked in a shaky breath and sniffle, mustering all the energy he could, before a grin claimed his face.

"Don't you lot waste any tears on me," He managed to rasp out. "I didn't know I'd hired a company made of ten-ply paper," A small round of chuckles echoed through the tent. "I'm tired. You can't keep me from resting, no matter how hard you tried, bastards. This is a long time coming… I believe in you lot. Do good. Make the Iron Legion continue to mean something…"

He went quiet for a long moment, as the heartbeat monitor continued to slow to a painful speed. He swallowed hard, and leaned towards the boy, drawing pained blue eyes back to him. "…You're on your way, Lance. You're the best of us… find your way…"

The Captain gave him a warm smile, before weakly leaning back into his bed, smile turning restful and content.

His grip began to fade.

A long, heavy breath escaped his lips.

The monitor went flat.

And the Captain was gone.

The mercenary at the opposite side of the bed let out a heavy sigh. "That's it." He flipped a few switches, and the machines went quiet.

Lance let out a shuddering breath, still gripping his Captain's hands tightly. A group of hands reached out, grasping onto the younger fighter's shoulders and arms, as anguished sobs began to rack his body, resting his forehead against the passed fighter's limp and cold knuckles.

* * *

Lance stared out at the forests he hadn't seen in years, a deep flood of recognition and fulfilled homesickness sweeping across him. He let out a sigh, holding the bronze ring up to the sun, staring at the words engraved on the inside; clutched beneath that, the familiar patch of an iron knight chess piece, shiny fabric still proud and untouched.

"Here goes nothing, eh?" He muttered to himself, drawing his gaze back down-

To the massive structure of Beacon Tower, reaching high into the sky, the campus of the huntsman academy of Beacon laying at its base, the great city of Vale sprawling out around it.

"Here goes nothing."

The former mercenary began to pick his way down the hill and into the forests below.


	7. Chapter 7: Cerulean Trailer

**Chapter 7: Cerulean Trailer**

* * *

_I see a sign in those kind eyes; they know my pain; I watch the stars in the night sky; they know the same; I hear the words that she said; remember your name; never let them quell your spark; follow the call that calls your heart._

* * *

The girl sat against the mainsail, legs held close to her chest, arms wrapped around herself and the longbow clutched against her. The waves from below rocked the small craft from side to side, larger tides lapping up over the edge to splash against the tightly wound wooden deck. The sail itself whipped to and fro with the light storm beginning to form above her, dark clouds rolling closer and closer.

"_Ou mata e matagi_," She whispered comfortingly to herself under her breath, like a lullaby, eyes clenched tightly shut. "_Ou loto mamaina toa. Manatu atu… taku pe-" _She jolted as a large wave crashed against her boat, eyes shooting wide open, her concentration lost.

She took a deep, deep breath, turning a hazel gaze to the stormy skies above. "_Taku pele-pele_-" Her quiet singing was interrupted yet again as the craft rocked again; this time, with a much more solid smash against the wooden base. The girl went stock still, body stiffening.

As another thud hit the boat.

And another.

A waterlogged black limb reached up over the side, long talons digging into the wood, gouts of sea water splashing across the boards. Another talon. And another. Another pair.

The girl shot to her feet, bow in her hands, eyes wide, fumbling for an arrow from her quiver to nock it. Her hands trembled as she wheeled around, staring in horror at the creatures beginning to rise from the ocean beneath.

The first raised its head above the edge of the craft, gold and crimson eyes glaring at her, fishlike visage hissing at her-

An arrow buried itself into the black flesh and white skull of the grimm, the creature going limp as it slunk back into the sea, smoke following it down. With that, the depths around the boat exploded outwards in a massive uproar, seafoam clouding the air as the other grimm leapt from the tides towards the girl.

She let loose another arrow quickly, backing towards the single mast of her boat, drawing another missile as suddenly as she fired them, wood and silver flying through the air to meet their marks with pinpoint accuracy, rapid fire bolts flying out towards the creatures.

Despite each arrow finding its mark, however, the moment one of the aquatic creatures would fall back to the depths, another would take its place, the spindly, dark beasts beginning to round all four sides of the ship, hateful eyes locked onto the archer. Her own gaze widened as the realization began to hit her, inching further and further away from the edges.

She whirled on her heel as a hissing roar came flying from behind her, barely loosing an arrow in time as the grimm reached her, claws outstretched, its limp body slamming into her before rolling off of the craft back into the depths, knocking some of its brethren away.

The impact, and her subsequent spinning, though, was enough to rock her sense of equilibrium, stumbling away from the safety of the mast towards the rapidly approaching hordes. She let out a scream as she violently lashed out with her bow, catching one across the face- only for two more to slash at her, more and more beginning to rise onto the boat, the wooden planks beginning to sink down beneath the surface of the water. She pushed away from the grimm, face drawn up into abject horror at the situation unfolding around her, the air filled with piscine screeches, roars, and hisses. Warm, but terrified eyes glanced around her as the creatures began to close in on her, white claws raised in the air.

She whirled around for a moment- before her gaze turned upwards. She swallowed the fear welling in her throat and pulled an arrow free from her quiver, jamming it into the wood of the mast, and with one Herculean effort, heaved herself upwards, barely dodging an awry swipe from one of the creatures, the slash clipping her boot, reimpaling the arrow a few meters above. She clutched herself tightly to the mast, curling long legs into her chest, staring down at the grimm below, the craft beginning to sink further and further beneath the waves.

The creatures looked back to her for a moment as they began to close in onto the mast, the deck awash with pitch black. The creatures let out a near-unified screech as they began to alight with frenzy, scrambling towards her, though the archer's legs were just out of reach of the beasts. The girl swallowed hard as she planted her boots against the mast, chest rising and falling with anxiety- as she pushed off, ripping her arrow free, before reinserting it higher above. Below, the grimm began to climb over themselves frantically, rushing higher and higher, gleaming white claws barely short of the girl. Her eyes widened as she pushed off and leapt again, this time in reach of the mast's cross beam, pulling herself up to perch on it, staring down at the cold, dark eyes of the grimm. She pulled her bow free as she pushed herself up onto her feet, rocking with the swaying of the waves.

She flicked out with her bow hand, and the arms of the bow slid along themselves, doubling the length of the weapon. With her free hand, she reached back, clicking a small button on her quiver, the arrows beginning to rotate, some sliding upwards while others slid downwards, interlocking themselves. She drew one of the now great-arrows, nocking it, her face drawing up into a grimace, eyes flashing brilliant, dark blue.

Three more copies of herself appeared along the cross beam, comprised of the same brilliant light of her eyes, each following her movements on a slight delay.

With one massive swing, she buried the bottom of her bow into the beam, her copies doing the same, all four leaning back as she fired the arrow.

It ripped through one of the grimm, before finding its way through another, and then another, before shooting into the waves below.

After a moment, the copies repeated the movements, three more dark blue arrows achieving similar results.

Arrow after arrow began to fly, meeting their marks, beginning to rip through the hordes of grimm, shadow fleshed body after shadow fleshed body beginning to tumble backwards, some finding the sea, others simply dissipating into smoke. The girl grimaced harder, two more copies adding themselves to the cross beams, beginning to sway more wildly as the weight bringing the craft down began to lessen, the six archers firing arrow after arrow, the deck of the boat becoming a sea of black and white, a thick plume of dark smoke beginning to rise into the air from the rapidly disappearing bodies.

The girl scowled as she drew an arrow, all five copies doing the same.

A flurry of great-arrows riddled the grimm, the creature flying from the ship's deck, splashing into the sea's surface beyond. The archers drew one last arrow- their last arrow, nocking it hard, whirling around frantically, leaping from the beam to pivot around the blade buried into the wood.

No more of the creatures climbed onto the craft. The ocean went quiet, save for the girl's huffs of exhaustion, and the waves gently slapping against the boat, the storm moving passed her, the winds dying down to an almost easy breeze.

The tension drained from her body, a heavy sigh escaping her lips as exhaustion began to overtake her, her copies blinking out one by one. Her vision blurred, her grip on her bow loosening.

After a moment, her eyes rolled into the back of her head as she careened backwards, falling to the deck below limply, her bow ripping free from the mast, disappearing into the thick column of dark smoke, colliding hard with the dissipating bodies below, her eyes shutting as she crashed down hard, lifelessly.

She didn't even stir as a massive ship began to sail into view, a hefty, curious horn blaring out over the calming waves.

* * *

**A/N:**

**She best girl.**

**Anyways, friends from DRGN SOUL, I bring news from the front; the outlines for Volumes 4, 5, and 6 are done! As well as the outline for Volume 1 Revisited, because let's be real, every Volume 1 could use a remaster/remake/revisiting.**

_**Every Volume 1.**_

**Don't forget to love each other,  
Creepy ain't a crime, and neither is RWBY,  
Cheers, all,  
Infernokota  
**


	8. Chapter 8: Ebony Trailer

**Chapter 8: Ebony Trailer**

* * *

_But no- longer will I suffer; not your weapon anymore; and now I'm finally strong enough; it's time to even the score! This demon within that you gave me; will tear you apart, now I see; in the end it comes for us all; our eventuality; you can't run from it now; the boy you left to drown; inevitability; this darkness will set me free._

* * *

The boy, hulking in stature, stepped down the black corridor- one step, two, three- dark gaze locked onto his boots, almost anxiously waiting for his gait to fail, for his feet to turn and march him back down the abyss he'd come from.

Four steps, five, the weight of the duffel bag strung over his shoulder getting heavier and heavier the further he moved down the corridor that seemed to just get longer and longer.

Six steps, seven-

There it was.

The monster of shadow rose from the darkness around it, a jagged, vicious snarl carving its face in half, eyes somehow more soulless and dark than the rest of its form.

The boy, though, swallowed hard, a snarl of his own crossing his face, grip tightening on the strap on his shoulder. He dropped his head and continued to forge onwards, ignoring the monster- and marched passed it.

Eight steps, nine-

A hand gripped his shoulder, and the boy stopped. His head fell lower, and a husky sigh escaped his lips.

_Fwoosh_.

He went flying back down the corridor, the bag falling from his grasp. The mass of human slammed into the ground hard, rolling several meters further, before popping back up to a knee, dark gaze meeting that of the monster's own, his snarl deepening in rage. The monster began to seethe towards him, form flickering with its own fury, a nigh-incomprehensible screech spilling out from it, limbs appearing from within its form.

The boy jerkily shrugged off the heavy coat cladding his form- a massive spiked, metal ball fell from his free hand, the dark metal chain attached to it wrapped heavily around his forearm.

"COME ON, THEN!" He roared, before shooting back to his feet, before charging towards the monster, flail swinging around his head as he tore a path through the dark, the metal ripping through the walls of the corridor around them with ease.

The monster roared back in kind, its pace picking up as the duo rushed forwards.

The boy let out a shout of fury and anguish as he leapt into the air, flail swinging towards his opponent- the mass of shadows lashed out with a massive flickering hand, crashing into him and sending him hurtling into the wall, plaster falling around him. The hulking fighter, though, let out a growl of frustration, shooting back to his feet and charged back towards the monster.

The creature let out another wide sweep- but didn't connect, as the boy smashed down with both arms, sending the limb into the floor, a spiderweb of cracks reaching out from the impact. The boy didn't let up, dashing forwards, arms wrapping around the not inconsiderable size of the monster, hefting the mass of shadows up, and then forwards, crashing into the wall of the loud shattering of glass.

The monster, though, lashed out with a screeching-roar, sending the boy flying across the corridor into the opposite wall. It was by his side with immense speed, sending him effortlessly hurtling upwards into the ceiling, tiles, dust, and loose plaster falling around them. A massive clawed hand wrapped around the boy's waist, hefting him up, to stare him in the eye.

Dark gaze met dark, the boy's body shaking with both pain and fury- his own eyes had faded to dual pools of black, smoke curling up from his form. He let out a bellowing scream of rage, spittle flying from his mouth- before he let loose with a vicious headbutt, the sound of bone cracking against bone echoing out through the corridor. The monster's form recoiled from the blow- but the boy gripped two handfuls of shadowy mass tightly, knuckles white- and lashed out with another headbutt, the monster's grip on him dropping entirely, the massive fighter falling back down to the corridor.

He still refused to release his grip, pivoting hard with another bellow, lifting the creature off of its feet again, spinning to slam it into the wall, cracks spilling across the dark surface of the corridor. The monster's claw struck out again, wrapping wholly around the boy's head, dark locks clutched tightly.

Both combatants flew across the corridor again, this time the hulking huntsman's body crashing into the wall, the shadow creature's face leering down into his own snarling mad visage. Another limb wrapped around the boy's boot, and then they dashed back towards the opposite side- and then back again, the monster hurling the fighter around like a ragdoll; ceiling, to wall, to wall, to floor, to wall, to the ceiling again, before finally flinging the boy away like a forgotten toy, the pale flesh of the huntsman bruised dark as he skid against the ground, bouncing and rolling before coming to a stop, body shaking feebly, the smoke billowing up from his form- once like a bonfire- had faded to a small trickle.

The boy let out a raspy, pained gasp as he slowly pushed himself up onto his forearms and knees. The monster loomed larger than ever as it stalked towards him, mouth moving unnaturally as it continued its wordless screeches, growls, and roars, its visage tilting to the side, tone turning to a mocking almost-laughter, a claw raising.

The boy slowly reached forwards, body slow with agony, even as the monster continued to mockingly come closer.

His hand wrapped around the dark chain. He snapped back to life, seething mad face twisted into an animalistic snarl, a howl of fury escaping him, the smoke rising from his form roaring back to an inferno. He ripped the chain and flail back towards him with freakish strength and speed. The monster's dark eyes widened in shock, the spiked ball crashing against the back of its head, sending its body careening back towards the boy.

A massive fist met the creature's face, crushing it between either side of the huntsman's assault. With unnatural speed, the boy rushed both combatants to the wall, burying the monster into the dark interior of the corridor. The heavy chain snaked back up his arm in a blur, the spiked ball sliding smoothly back into his grip.

The hulking fighter ripped the monster out of the wall, holding the dazed shadowy mass in the air, chest and shoulders rising and falling animalistically, body quivering in unrestrained hate and savagery. His face twisted into a bestial snarl, and he lashed out with a wicked fist, crashing both knuckle and dark metal into the monster's visage, the creature recoiling from the impact, dark eyes turning from the boy to stare blankly passed him.

The boy stared at him for a moment before lashing out again, cracking bone and steel against the shadows again, a scream spilling out from his lips.

And after a moment, he did it again.

And then faster, he struck out again.

And then like a roaring piston, he struck out over, and over, and over again, fist rising and falling with more and more speed and ferocity, screams and roars bleeding together, the monster going limp in his grasp, both it and the boy lowering to the ground until he'd laid the man onto the ground, lashing out with unrelenting brutality, tears beginning to stream down his face.

Finally, he hurled his flail away dashing backwards to the other side of the corridor, back hitting the wall, chest rising and falling in anguish as he stared at the limp, blank faced monster.

The smoke ceased to rise from his form.

Red ringed, watery eyes faded back to white.

The rage rushed from him, body going limp as he stared blankly at the monster. His eyes shifted from it slowly, and with a great amount of effort, he pushed himself onto a knee, then to his feet, leaning against the wall of the corridor. With all of the strength he could muster, he began to drag himself back down the dark corridor, face an empty, emotionless slate.

His hand dropped down low to grab the strap of his duffel bag, scraping it across the ground, the strength to lift it long gone.

The corridor came to an end, and slowly, painfully slowly, he turned the handle, letting the door swing open, and stepped out into the cool night air, quietly closing the door behind him. He stood on the porch for a long few moments, bruised and bloody form hunched in pain, before carrying on his way.

He reached the sidewalk before he stopped, and turned, staring back at the house, the lights inside still vibrantly on. He stared for a long few moments, before turning away, dragging his broken self away.

It could only be uphill from there.


End file.
